ALBA Quartz Y723-4000 – June 1989 – digital Seiko sub-brand with display illumination – revised

The most understated digital watch in this range: no chronograph function, no functional legend cluttering half the dial, just time, day of the week, and date—but featuring display illumination, which was by no means a given in the late 1980s.

The case back is stamped with Y723-4000, the serial number 968364, as well as the markings STAINLESS STEEL BACK, METAL BEZEL, and WATER RESISTANT. The dial is marked ALBA QUARTZ.

The simple alternative

While the digital watch market of the eighties was driven by ever-new functions—calculators, databases, remote controls, sensors—Seiko maintained a counter-line through its sub-brand: watches that display the time and nothing else.

These models were sold in large quantities as everyday watches and were worn out accordingly. It was the elaborate pieces that were kept. That is precisely why the simple reference is the rarer one today—a pattern that appears time and again in the history of collecting Japanese watches.

Design

A softly contoured tonneau case with a polished frame. The black front plate features the ALBA QUARTZ lettering at the top, with the operating instruction MODE·SET to its right. The display field is enclosed by a light frame line, with the day-of-the-week bar running from S to S below it. At the bottom edge, LIGHT and SELECT face each other, each with an arrow icon pointing to the corresponding pusher.

The entire graphic design makes do with two colors: white on black. It is a watch without any pretense, and that is where its quality lies.

Dating

The Y caliber prefix denotes quartz movements at Seiko and ALBA. The serial number 968364 follows the standard Seiko system—year-end digit followed by the month—and indicates June 1989.

Condition and provenance

The watch comes from Japan, where it was opened, inspected, cleaned, and fitted with a new battery. It is running.

This is a worn original with clear signs of use. The LCD is readable; there is a slight greenish discoloration in the lower right area of the display, as occurs with displays of this age. The dial printing is intact. The frame is finely scratched and dull on the upper surface. The chrome plating on the case and the edge of the case back has partially worn off, allowing the brass-colored base material to show through, particularly at the top left of the back edge. The case back engraving remains completely legible. The polyurethane strap is used and intact.

The actual condition is shown unretouched in the product photos.

Technical specifications

• Brand: ALBA (Seiko)
• Reference: Y723-4000
• Serial number: 968364
• Movement: Quartz, digital (LCD), battery-operated
• Functions: Time, seconds, day of the week, date, display illumination
• Case: Stainless steel back, chrome-plated bezel on base metal
• Dimensions without crown: 32 × 32.4 mm
• Height: 7 mm
• Lug-to-lug: 37.3 mm
• Lug width: 18 mm
• Weight incl. strap: 34 g
• Dial: black with white lettering
• Strap: Polyurethane strap
• Dating: June 1989
• Provenance: Japan

For whom?

For those starting a collection of Japanese digital watches. For wearers looking for a small, light everyday watch that they don't have to worry about. And for anyone who prefers a visible history of use over a refurbished specimen.

Warranty (used)

This is a used item. The limitation period for claims for defects under the statutory warranty is 12 months from delivery.

Note on water resistance

Water resistance is not guaranteed. The case back stamping indicates the condition at the time of delivery. To protect the movement, the watch should not come into contact with water or moisture.